Mask, glass substrate and manufacturing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A manufacturing method of a glass substrate is provided, in which a mask including a light-blocking area, a transparent area and a partial-transparent area is adopted. The partial-transparent area protrudes from edges of the light-blocking area to admit some of the UV rays to pass through. In addition, a glass substrate manufactured with the method is also disclosed. By arranging the partial-transparent area on the edges of the light-blocking area, the mask is formed with a slope having a small angle after a lithography process. As such, in an etching process, an edge of a thin film is formed with a slope having a small angle, which contributes to the formation of a second thin film. The thin films are prevented from being fragmented around the slope and the ITO layer is also prevented from fragmented around the periphery of the through hole.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a divisional application of co-pending patent application Ser.No. 13/985,596, filed on Aug. 15, 2013.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure relates to liquid crystal display technology, andmore particularly to a mask, a glass substrate and a manufacturingmethod thereof.

2. The Related Arts

With the advanced technology, demands toward display devices havecontributed to a rapid revolution of liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Themain targets include improving the quality, reducing the defective rate,and saving the cost.

Currently, the array lithography process has certain requirementregarding the thickness of the photoresist. The thicker photoresistresults in high cost, and the thinner photoresist results in a higherrisk, i.e., the photoresist film may break off.

FIG. 1 is a partial view of a conventional mask. FIG. 2 is a schematicview showing the mask of FIG I after the exposure process and thelithography process. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mask includes alight-blocking area 11 and a transparent area (not labeled) outside ofthe light-blocking area 1. By using the mask shown in FIG. 1 to performthe exposure process and the lithography process, a photoresist 21 isformed on the thin film 22 as shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the photoresist and the thin film of FIG.2 after the etching process. By concurrently etching the photoresist 21and the thin film 22 with the photo-resist peeling method, edges of thethin film 22 are shown as slopes with a large angle. The location 22′may effect the formation of the third thin film and the indium tin oxide(ITO) layer around the through hole. For example, the third thin filmmay fragment around the slope, and the ITO may also fragment around theperiphery of the through hole, which both result in a high defectiverate.

SUMMARY

An object of the invention is to provide a mask, a glass substrate and amanufacturing method thereof to solve the above-mentioned problems.

In one aspect, a mask includes: a light-blocking area; a transparentarea; a partial-transparent area; wherein the partial-transparent areaprotrudes from edges of the light-blocking area to admit some of the UVrays to pass through.

The mask further comprises a metallic sheet and an organic film, whereinthe light-blocking area and the transparent area are formed on themetallic sheet, the organic film adheres to the metallic sheet, and theorganic film protrudes from the edges of the light-blocking area with apredetermined width.

The transmission rate of the organic film is in the ranges of between10% to 90%, 20% to 80%, 30% to 70%, and 40% to 60%, or the transmissionrate of the organic film is 45%, 50%, or 55%.

The transparency rate of the organic film changes from the edges of thelight-blocking area, wherein the change may be a gradual increase, agradual decrease, or a plurality of gradual increases together withgradual decreases such that the change of the transparent rate lookslike a wave-shaped or a sawtooth-shaped transition.

A dimension of the organic film is larger than the dimension of thelight-blocking area, and the organic film fully covers thelight-blocking area and also protrudes from the edges of thelight-blocking area.

An engaging frame is arranged between the organic film and thelight-blocking area.

The organic film adheres to an upper or a lower surface of the metallicsheet.

In another aspect, a manufacturing method of a glass substrate includescleaning the glass substrate; depositing at least one thin film on theglass substrate; coating photoresist on the glass substrate; applying anexposure process to the glass substrate with a mask comprising alight-blocking area, a transparent area, and a partial-transparent area,wherein the partial-transparent area protrudes from edges of thelight-blocking area to admit some of the UV rays to pass through;applying a lithography process to the glass substrate; applying anetching process to the glass substrate; applying a film-striping processto the glass substrate; and cutting the glass substrate.

In another aspect, a glass substrate includes: an exposed area, anunexposed area, and a partial exposed area extending outward from theedges of the unexposed area, wherein the glass substrate is manufacturedby adopting a mask comprising a light-blocking area, a transparent area,and a partial-transparent area, wherein the partial-transparent areaprotrudes from edges of the light-blocking area to admit some of the UVrays to pass through.

After applying a lithography process to the glass substrate, thethickness of the partial exposed area changes from the edges of theunexposed area, wherein the change may be a gradual increase, a gradualdecrease, or a plurality of gradual increases together with gradualdecreases such that the change of the thickness looks like a wave-shapedor a sawtooth-shaped transition, and when the glass substrate is etched,edges of the thin film is formed as a slope with a small angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partial view of a conventional mask.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the mask of FIG. 1 after an exposureprocess and a lithography process.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the pattern of FIG. 2 an etching process.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a mask in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the mask of FIG. 4 after the exposureprocess and the lithography process.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the pattern of FIG. 5 after the etchingprocess.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the mask above the through hole in accordancewith one embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the pattern of FIG. 7 after thelithography process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of the glasssubstrate in accordance with one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described more fullyhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichembodiments of the invention are shown.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of a mask in accordance with one embodiment.The mask is for blocking ultraviolet (UV) rays in an exposure step of asubstrate manufacturing process. The mask includes a light-blocking area12, a transparent area and a partial-transparent area 13. Thepartial-transparent area 13 protrudes from edges of the light-blockingarea 12 to admit some of the UV rays to pass through. The transparentarea (not labeled) is arranged outside the partial-transparent area 13.

Specifically, the mask includes a metallic sheet and an organic film.The light-blocking area 12 and the transparent area are formed on themetallic sheet. The organic film adheres to the metallic sheet. Theorganic film protrudes from the edges of the light-blocking area 12 witha predetermined width.

In one embodiment, the dimension of the manic film is larger than thatof the light-blocking area 12. The organic film fully covers thelight-blocking area 12 and also protrudes from the edges of thelight-blocking area 12.

In other embodiments, an engaging frame is arranged between the organicfilm and the light-blocking area 12. The organic film may adhere to anupper or a lower surface of the metallic sheet.

In one embodiment, the transmission rate of the organic film is in theranges of between 10% to 90%, 20% to 80%, 30% to 70%, and 40% to 60%. Inother embodiments, the transmission rate of the organic film is 45%,50%, or 55%.

Furthermore, the transparency rate of the organic film changes from theedges of the light-blocking area 12. The change may be a gradualincrease, a gradual decrease, or a plurality of gradual increasestogether with gradual decreases such that the change of the transparencyrate looks like a wave-shaped or a sawtooth-shaped transition. With sucha change, a second thin film can be easily formed on the organic film.In addition, a better friction can be achieved and the second thin filmis prevented from being fragmented. Also, the ITO layer is alsoprevented from being fragmented around the periphery of the through holeso as to improve the defective rate.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the mask of FIG. 4 after the exposureprocess and the lithography process. As shown, a photoresist 23 isformed on a thin film 24.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the pattern of FIG. 5 after the etchingprocess. By adopting the photo-resist peeling method to etch thephotoresist 23 and the thin film 24 of FIG. 5, the edges of the thinfilm 24 are formed with slopes 24′ with a small angle. The slopes 24′contribute to the formation of a third thin film and the formation ofthe ITO layer around the periphery of the through hole. Also, the thirdthin film is prevented from being fragmented around the slope and theITO layer is prevented from fragmented around the periphery of thethrough hole.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the mask above the through hole in accordancewith one embodiment. FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the pattern of FIG. 7after the lithography process.

As shown in FIG. 7, after applying the exposure process, an unexposedportion 25, a partial exposed area 26, and an exposed area 27 are formedon the mask.

As shown in FIG. 8, after applying the lithography process, the throughhole 27′ is formed in the exposed area 27′; slopes 26′ with a smallangle are formed in the partial exposed area 26; and the unexposed area25 remains the same. In this way, the ITO layer is prevented from beingfragmented around the periphery of the through hole 27′.

In one embodiment, the glass substrate manufactured by adopting theabove mask in the exposure process includes the exposed area, theunexposed area, and the partial exposed area extending outward from theedges of the unexposed area.

In one embodiment, after applying the lithography process to the glasssubstrate, the thickness of the partial exposed area changes from theedges of the unexposed area. The change may be a gradual increase, agradual decrease, or a plurality of gradual increases together withgradual decreases such that the change of the thickness looks like awave-shaped or a sawtooth-shaped transition. In this way, when the glasssubstrate is etched, the edges of the thin film are formed as slopeswith a small angle.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a manufacturing method of the glasssubstrate in accordance with one embodiment. The method includes thefollowing steps. In step S110, the glass substrate is cleaned. In stepS120, thin films are deposited on the glass substrate. In step S130,photoresist is coating on the glass substrate. In step S140, a mask isadopted to perform an exposure process on the glass substrate. In stepS150, a lithography process is applied to the glass substrate. In stepS160, an etching process is applied to the glass substrate. In stepS170, a film striping process is applied to the glass substrate. In stepS180, the glass substrate is cut.

In view of the above, by arranging the partial-transparent area 13 onthe edges of the light-blocking area 12, the mask is formed with slopeshaving a small angle after the lithography process. As such, in anetching process, the edge of the thin film is formed with a slope havinga small angle, which contributes to the formation of the second thinfilm. The thin films are prevented from being fragmented around theslope and the ITO layer is also prevented from fragmented around theperiphery of the through hole.

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will beunderstood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent thatvarious changes may be made thereto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its materialadvantages. The examples that are described hereinbefore are merelypreferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A manufacturing method of a glass substrate,comprising: cleaning the glass substrate; depositing at least one thinfilm on the glass substrate; coating photoresist on the glass substrate;applying an exposure process to the glass substrate with a maskcomprising a light-blocking area, a transparent area, and apartial-transparent area, wherein the partial-transparent area protrudesfrom edges of the light-blocking area to admit some of the UV rays topass through; wherein the mask further comprises a metallic sheet and anorganic film, the light-blocking area and the transparent area areformed on the metallic sheet, the organic film adheres to the metallicsheet, and the organic film protrudes from the edges of thelight-blocking area with a predetermined width; and wherein a dimensionof the organic film is larger than the dimension of the light-blockingarea, and the organic film fully covers the light-blocking area and alsoprotrudes from the edges of the light-blocking area; applying alithography process to the glass substrate; applying an etching processto the glass substrate; applying a film-striping process to the glasssubstrate; and cutting the glass substrate.
 2. The manufacturing methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein the transmission rate of the organic filmis in the ranges of between 10% to 90%, 20% to 80%, 30% to 70%, and 40%to 60%, or the transmission rate of the organic film is 45%, 50%, or55%.
 3. The manufacturing method as claimed in claim 2, wherein thetransparency rate of the organic film changes from the edges of thelight-blocking area, wherein the change is a gradual increase, a gradualdecrease, or a plurality of gradual increases together with gradualdecreases such that the change of the transparency rate shows awave-shaped or a sawtooth-shaped transition.
 4. The manufacturing methodas claimed in claim 1, wherein an engaging frame is arranged between theorganic film and the light-blocking area.
 5. The manufacturing method asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the organic film adheres to an upper or alower surface of the metallic sheet.